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Montana trucking insurance
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Montana Trucking Insurance

Class Insurance Agency, an affiliated office of AIC Insurance

Truck insurance for Montana haulers

Montana trucking means long runs on I-90, Canadian freight through Sweetgrass, chain-up passes in winter and longer combinations than most states allow. We quote Montana owner-operators, new authorities and fleets by phone, email and online from our office in Vancouver, Washington, in English, Russian, Ukrainian or Romanian.

Call 360-450-2211 or start a quote online.

Authority and insurance for in-state hauling

  • No PSC authority for general freight. The Public Service Commission regulates only for-hire carriers of passengers, household goods and garbage.[1] Those carriers need a certificate, with a $500 filing fee and proof of public need.[2]
  • Low state minimum. Montana adopts the federal insurance rule only for interstate and hazmat carriers. For intrastate for-hire carriers of non-hazardous freight, the state minimum is $25,000/$50,000/$20,000.[3][4] Household goods and garbage carriers regulated by the PSC need $500,000 for vehicles over 10,000 lb.[5]
  • What you’ll actually need. Interstate for-hire trucks need the federal $750,000, and most brokers and shippers ask for $1,000,000. Montana’s oversize permits also require a $1,000,000 combined single limit.[6] An in-state minimum policy won’t get you loads from most brokers.

USDOT numbers, safety rules and drivers

  • USDOT-MT. Intrastate trucks must show their USDOT number followed by “MT,” and the MCS-150 update is due every 24 months.[3]
  • Safety rules cover intrastate vehicles of 26,001 lb or more, except farm vehicles operating only in Montana, and interstate vehicles of 10,001 lb or more.[7]
  • Drivers from 18 with an intrastate (Type 2) CDL.[8]

Fuel tax, GVW fees and permits

  • Diesel tax is 29.75 cents a gallon, unchanged since July 1, 2022, plus a small cleanup fee.[9]
  • GVW fees are charged on top of IRP: $750 a year for 78,001–80,000 lb, plus $46 per ton over 80,000 lb.[10] Farmers hauling their own products pay 35% of the regular schedule.[6]
  • Office. MDT Motor Carrier Services in Helena handles IRP and IFTA (406-444-2998).[11]
  • Temporary permits. A 72-hour fuel permit is $30. Temporary truck permits run $20 to $40 for 46,001–80,000 lb and $50 to $80 over 80,000 lb, depending on miles.[12]
  • No tolls. FHWA lists no toll road, bridge or tunnel in Montana.[13]

Length, weight and longer combinations

  • Length. Semitrailers up to 53 feet, with no overall length limit for tractor-semitrailers or doubles.[14]
  • Weight. 20,000 lb per single axle and 34,000 lb per tandem under the bridge formula, and up to 131,060 lb gross for reducible loads.[15]
  • Longer combinations. Rocky Mountain doubles can pull up to 81 feet of trailers (88 feet for baled hay). 100-foot doubles need a $125 permit, and triples up to 110 feet need a $200 term permit or a $20 trip permit; both are limited to the Interstate and 2 miles off it.[16]
  • Seasonal limits. Spring load limits cut weights on posted roads. From December 1 to March 7, a winter weight permit allows 10% more on non-Interstate highways for $50 for 30 days or $150 for the season.[17]

Chains and speed

  • Chains. Where signs require them, chains go on at least one drive axle. Fines are $250, or $750 if the truck blocks all lanes.[18]
  • Carry them in winter. From October 1 to April 30, trucks of 26,001 lb or more towing a trailer must carry traction devices on designated passes. Fines are $225 for a first offense.[19]
  • Speed. Trucks are limited to 70 mph on Interstates and 65 mph on other highways, even where cars may go faster.[20]

Montana claims rules

Montana doesn’t allow seatbelt use as evidence in civil suits[21], and a 2025 law requires parties to disclose litigation-funding contracts, including to insurers.[22]

Montana freight

Trucks carry 61% of Montana’s freight by value ($53.8 billion) and 36% by weight (64 million tons). Crude oil, machinery and coal are the top commodities by value, and I-90 is the busiest road, with the heaviest truck traffic between Billings and Butte.[23] Sweetgrass handled 150,176 incoming truck crossings from Canada in 2025, about 85% of the state’s total.[24] Montana grew 181.69 million bushels of wheat in 2025 and had 2.14 million cattle on January 1, 2026.[25]

What to have ready for a Montana quote

  • USDOT and MC numbers, if you have them
  • Where the trucks are garaged, your usual routes and your radius, including Canada runs
  • What you haul: wheat, cattle, hay, oil field equipment, coal or general freight
  • Whether you pull doubles or triples
  • Driver names, license numbers and years of experience
  • Year, make, VIN and value of each truck and trailer
  • Current policy and loss runs, if you have been insured before

Frequently asked questions

Do I need PSC authority to haul freight only inside Montana?

No. The PSC regulates only passengers, household goods and garbage.[1]

How much liability insurance does Montana require for intrastate freight?

The state minimum for intrastate for-hire non-hazardous freight is $25,000/$50,000/$20,000, but interstate trucks need $750,000 and most brokers want $1,000,000.[4][3]

When do I need chains in Montana?

Where signs require them, on at least one drive axle. From October 1 to April 30, trucks over 26,000 lb towing a trailer must carry traction devices on designated passes.[18][19]

What are Montana GVW fees?

$750 a year for 78,001–80,000 lb plus $46 per ton over 80,000 lb, on top of IRP.[10]

What is the truck speed limit in Montana?

70 mph on Interstates and 65 mph on other highways.[20]

Get a Montana truck insurance quote

Call 360-450-2211 or start your quote. We’re open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mountain).


Related coverage and nearby states

Sources

General information only, checked September 2026. Rules change; confirm with the agency that issues your permits. Coverage availability, terms and filings depend on underwriting and the policy issued; a quote request does not bind insurance.